Ok, let's say Fitz is an average starting QB in the NFL, what do y

[jonramz]

Alright... Fitz has definitely had a hot streak lately, but I'm not seeing him as an elite NFL QB... let's say he is an average starting QB in the NFL. Someone like Chad Henne, Kevin Kolb or Kyle Orton. Do you still draft a blue chip QB in the 1st round if we have a chance? Or do you go get the pass rusher we desperately need.

 

In other words... are we ok w/ an average NFL QB that Gailey seems to have worked his magic on again

[217014170]

Alright... Fitz has definitely had a hot streak lately, but I'm not seeing him as an elite NFL QB... let's say he is an average starting QB in the NFL. Someone like Chad Henne, Kevin Kolb or Kyle Orton. Do you still draft a blue chip QB in the 1st round if we have a chance? Or do you go get the pass rusher we desperately need.

 

In other words... are we ok w/ an average NFL QB that Gailey seems to have worked his magic on again

 

Ryan Fitzpatrick reminds me a lot of Jake Delhomme...obscure backup gets his chance and makes the most of it. Delhomme's Panthers always had the benefit of an above average O-Line and dominant running game. A bend but don't break defense with a dominant pass rusher. Bill Polian built that expansion team with free agents and has been coaches and had immediate success but left it in Cap Hell. It took a few years but Jerry Richardson and Marty Hurney brought in the right coach and stayed committed to him through the thin years while building the team back up through the draft. They got to the Super Bowl and almost won but have never quite been the same...one big reason, in my opinion, is they stayed committed to Delhomme for too long and ignored the quarterback position in the draft.

 

Bottom line...be realistic with what you have in Fitzpatrick - celebrate the successes and endure the failures, have faith in the coaching staff and Buddy Nix, and be patient that the right draft room decisions get made in the future. Buddy Nix is the right guy but understand who is in that room when the picks are made. Todd Collins was picked largely on Jim Shofner's nod, for example...a lot goes in to who gets picked...not the least of which whether or not the guy will sign and will stay beyond his rookie deal. My vote, trade down, get a franchise left tackle and use the rest of the draft on defense.

[Endless Ike]

Alright... Fitz has definitely had a hot streak lately, but I'm not seeing him as an elite NFL QB... let's say he is an average starting QB in the NFL. Someone like Chad Henne, Kevin Kolb or Kyle Orton. Do you still draft a blue chip QB in the 1st round if we have a chance? Or do you go get the pass rusher we desperately need.

 

In other words... are we ok w/ an average NFL QB that Gailey seems to have worked his magic on again

 

we desperately need talent at about 6 positions.

 

We take the hall of famer available in the top 3 at any of those 6 positions.

[akm0404]

You can't win consistently in the NFL without getting elite-level play out of your quarterback.

 

Teams with elite-level quarterbacks contend for championships over the course of a decade.

 

The teams without elite-level quarterbacks fight for the scraps and hope for freak playoff runs or to be the once-in-decade Ravens team that wins without the most important position in organized sports.

 

The catch is, it is pretty darn hard to get your hands on one of those guys.

 

Further, the most reliable way to acquire one of those guys is to draft them at the top of round 1 in the NFL draft.

 

Like teams with bad quarterbacks winning a championship, there are rare exceptions to this rule, but I would personally do whatever it took to acquire an elite-level quarterback with the highest possible chance for success, which I believe is drafting one high.

 

Is there a chance to bust? Absolutely. There is a chance to select poorly at any position. We know this as much if not moreso than any other team.

 

Will you have to pay a #1 quarterback a lot of money? Yes, but any player you select #1 overall is going to get huge money and is likely to be the highest paid player on your team.

 

The Bills certainly need help at nearly every position, but my contention is that trying to acquire an elite-level quarterback gives your team a chance to rebuild past endless 7-9 seasons and compete for championships for a decade.

 

Draft the face of your franchise. Gain credibility across the league, and watch the quality of your free agents increase. Build the less-important positions on your team with lesser valued draft selections and your improved status in free agency.

 

Rebuild for a championship, not for mediocrity.

[The Senator]

I wait to see how rest of the season goes, how each and every player performs, what the draft order is when the draft begins, and who is available when the Bills pick.

 

GO BILLSSS!!!!

 

14 and 6 baby!!!!!

Edited October 27, 2010 by The Senator

[All_Pro_Bills]

You can't win consistently in the NFL without getting elite-level play out of your quarterback.

 

Teams with elite-level quarterbacks contend for championships over the course of a decade.

 

The teams without elite-level quarterbacks fight for the scraps and hope for freak playoff runs or to be the once-in-decade Ravens team that wins without the most important position in organized sports.

 

The catch is, it is pretty darn hard to get your hands on one of those guys.

 

Further, the most reliable way to acquire one of those guys is to draft them at the top of round 1 in the NFL draft.

 

Like teams with bad quarterbacks winning a championship, there are rare exceptions to this rule, but I would personally do whatever it took to acquire an elite-level quarterback with the highest possible chance for success, which I believe is drafting one high.

 

Is there a chance to bust? Absolutely. There is a chance to select poorly at any position. We know this as much if not moreso than any other team.

 

Will you have to pay a #1 quarterback a lot of money? Yes, but any player you select #1 overall is going to get huge money and is likely to be the highest paid player on your team.

 

The Bills certainly need help at nearly every position, but my contention is that trying to acquire an elite-level quarterback gives your team a chance to rebuild past endless 7-9 seasons and compete for championships for a decade.

 

Draft the face of your franchise. Gain credibility across the league, and watch the quality of your free agents increase. Build the less-important positions on your team with lesser valued draft selections and your improved status in free agency.

 

Rebuild for a championship, not for mediocrity.

 

Assuming the Bills have the overall #1 choice and Luck is the 'can't miss' real deal franchise quarterback I agree you want to take him. My reasoning goes a little further than just the filling of this critical need. What it also allows the team to do is stop looking. How many draft choices and false starts have we gone through since Kelly retired? With that search ended, what it does is give the team the ability to focus its resources on fixing the other crtical needs on offense and especially defense.

 

I like Fitzpatrick. He has 2 of the 3 traits a great QB requires. Football intelligence and the right attitude. What he lacks is the superior physical skills. IMO, most of his mistakes are caused by his shortcomings in this area, inaccuracy, arm strength and not mis-reading the play or lacking the fortitude to make a play. On a team that has a good defense, O-line, and running attack he would be quite effective.

 

But they got to get it right. Taking a QB first overall is a high risk, high reward selection. Get it wrong and you're back to the drawing board a couple years down the road.

[larz tex]

You can't win consistently in the NFL without getting elite-level play out of your quarterback.

 

Teams with elite-level quarterbacks contend for championships over the course of a decade.

 

The teams without elite-level quarterbacks fight for the scraps and hope for freak playoff runs or to be the once-in-decade Ravens team that wins without the most important position in organized sports.

 

The catch is, it is pretty darn hard to get your hands on one of those guys.

 

Further, the most reliable way to acquire one of those guys is to draft them at the top of round 1 in the NFL draft.

 

Like teams with bad quarterbacks winning a championship, there are rare exceptions to this rule, but I would personally do whatever it took to acquire an elite-level quarterback with the highest possible chance for success, which I believe is drafting one high.

 

Is there a chance to bust? Absolutely. There is a chance to select poorly at any position. We know this as much if not moreso than any other team.

 

Will you have to pay a #1 quarterback a lot of money? Yes, but any player you select #1 overall is going to get huge money and is likely to be the highest paid player on your team.

 

The Bills certainly need help at nearly every position, but my contention is that trying to acquire an elite-level quarterback gives your team a chance to rebuild past endless 7-9 seasons and compete for championships for a decade.

 

Draft the face of your franchise. Gain credibility across the league, and watch the quality of your free agents increase. Build the less-important positions on your team with lesser valued draft selections and your improved status in free agency.

 

Rebuild for a championship, not for mediocrity.

Yes, I can see that. If the bills do not see a top quarterback or elite player at an area of deep need, such as anyone on defense, I am hoping they trade for another teams first and second, or first and third, and do a better job then Dick and co. did. I am afraid of another Maybin, Lossman, McCargo, Whitner, Williams (Mike), etc, getting top buck and being useless with a huge contract and signing bonus. At least Chan will cut him rather then keep him around like Hardy and Edwards.

[DIE HARD 1967]

I believe you take the best player available regardless of position in the draft and if Andrew Luck is the best then you draft him.

 

I realize this takes all the fun out of the debate on quarterbacks but Buffalo will most likely draft a quarterback anyway,especially if Brohm does not challenge for the job.

Edited October 27, 2010 by DIE HARD 1967

[Kelly the Dog]

First, we will have to see how Fitz plays the rest of the way. He has a history of inconsistency. He has also recently outperformed his history. So only time will tell. No one in the world knows right now if he will be what he used to be, slightly better, or way better (the way he has played lately).

 

Then, and only then, is there a realistic discussion about whether we need to draft a franchise QB #1 with our likely very high pick next spring. For now, however, it's fun to speculate.

 

Two words that need to be brought up in this discussion of how far the team can go with Fitz or a guy like Fitz are "Steve. Johnson."

 

When your QB stinks, the rest of your team is not given the opportunity to develop. Steve Johnson MAY, repeat, may, develop into a very good #2 WR but he likely never would if we still had Trentative, or other lousy QBs. He may disappear if Fitz disappears. Demetrius Bell and Cordaro Howard and Roscoe Parrish and Shawn Nelson and CJ Spiller and others will not develop if they are not put in positions to succeed by the QB and the success of the offense (plays made, extra drives from first downs, points scored, confidence, etc)

 

In other words, if Fitz continues to play well, and the other players around him are allowed to develop at the rate they need to, then perhaps we address more glaring weaknesses with our high picks like DE and LB and (probably) OT. If he is just going to be average, we need better QBing quicker.

Edited October 27, 2010 by Kelly the Fair and Balanced Dog

[LongLiveRalph]

Losman seemed like a better option than an aging, tentative Bledsoe. Edwards seemed like a better option than Losman. Fiztpatrick seems like a better option than Edwards.

 

It doesn't mean that any of them are any good. They only appear good when compared with the crappy guy before them, not when compared with the rest of the league.

 

Draft the QB. It's no guarantee that he'll be the "main man" and successful, but it's practically guaranteed that the team will be unsuccessful without the main man. You have to try to get him.

[SoFFacet]

Losman seemed like a better option than an aging, tentative Bledsoe. Edwards seemed like a better option than Losman. Fiztpatrick seems like a better option than Edwards.

 

It doesn't mean that any of them are any good. They only appear good when compared with the crappy guy before them, not when compared with the rest of the league.

 

Draft the QB. It's no guarantee that he'll be the "main man" and successful, but it's practically guaranteed that the team will be unsuccessful without the main man. You have to try to get him.

 

Thats just not true. RF has been playing legitimately great this season, and not just by Bills standards. We're talking league wide, he has better numbers than anyone besides P. Manning. You insert anyone else in there and all the chemistry is gone, all the receivers might suck again, the line might suck again, etc etc.

 

It might be a good idea to take Luck as a 'best available,' very long term type of pick, similar to Spiller last year. You don't get a chance to draft these kinds of guys every year. But lets be realistic, RF has this job for as long as he keeps this up.

[Green Lightning]

I wait to see how rest of the season goes, how each and every player performs, what the draft order is when the draft begins, and who is available when the Bills pick.

 

 

The Senator has it right. What's the point of making any declarations now? Fitzy could be Jake Delhomme or he could be Rich Gannon - a late bloomer. We don't know but we have ten more games to figure that out. Let's be patient and see what we got and if we can live with it. I see no point to saying we MUST draft a QB. It's not a litmus test for this franchaise. If Fitzy stalls or tops out below what we need, by all means pick a QB ---- but ONLY if the QB truly is a franchaise changer. Don't reach! This team has so many holes an elite talent at DL or LB or OT would suit me fine.

[macaroni]

I wait to see how rest of the season goes, how each and every player performs, what the draft order is when the draft begins, and who is available when the Bills pick.

 

GO BILLSSS!!!!

 

14 and 6 baby!!!!!

 

+1

 

If fitz proves to be an average QB (a level far below what he is playing at this time) it gives us the opportunity to upgrade the positions where we are woefully below average. That's not to say we shouldn't draft the next Payton Manning if one should become apparent .... it just means we don't have to crown the top QB in the draft as a sure fire winner and reach for him.

[zow2]

I contend that a solid defense is easier to build than a solid offense. That's why it's so remarkable that Fitz and the Bills O are putting up points and the D is failing miserably. Defense you can draft players and work them into a scheme that hopefully works. Offense- it's hard to hit on a superior QB or even a very good one and they are the driver of everything. To me, Fitz has always looked like a capable QB and now he has the extra years of experience and can read a defense like the back of his hand. He Always knows who to throw the ball to (even though he sometimes overshoots the target!). You can't teach this stuff in a day. It's taken him 6+ years. If the QB you want it there at the #1 pick than they should grab him and let him groom under Fitz for a while. Heck, we might have the next Rich Gannon here and Fitz could be very successful for the next 5 years. After that i would load up on almost all defense. If that side of the ball could hold the score into the Teens, we would have a lot more wins.

[Got_Wood]

I think you take the best player in college football. If Luck declares, he might be that guy. If not, it might be someone like Marcell Dareus at Alabama, Adrian Clayborn at Iowa, or Robert Quinn at UNC.